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PRD Template for AI Apps (Free Download)
Download a production-ready PRD template designed for AI coding projects. Includes scope lock, user stories, acceptance criteria, and non-goals to prevent scope creep.
TL;DR: This PRD template prevents AI hallucinations by making scope, features, and non-goals explicit. Copy, fill in your project details, and feed to your AI tool. Or skip the manual work and use the free PRD generator.
Table of Contents
- Why You Need a PRD for AI Coding
- What Makes This Template Different
- The Template
- How to Use It
- Common PRD Mistakes
- Example: Filled PRD
- Related Templates
Why You Need a PRD for AI Coding
AI coding tools hallucinate features when scope is undefined. Without a PRD:
- Cursor adds "bonus" features you didn't ask for
- v0 creates UI for flows that aren't in your app
- Cline builds elaborate systems for edge cases that don't exist
The PRD Fix
A PRD tells AI tools exactly what to build—and what NOT to build. Key elements:
| Section | Purpose | Prevents |
|---|---|---|
| Scope (In/Out) | Explicit boundaries | Feature creep |
| User Stories | Specific requirements | Vague implementations |
| Acceptance Criteria | Definition of "done" | Ambiguous completion |
| Non-Goals | What we're NOT building | Invented features |
Not sure if you need one? Check your risk with the Spec Readiness Score.
What Makes This Template Different
Most PRD templates are written for human stakeholders. This one is designed for AI consumption:
- Machine-readable structure: Consistent headings AI can parse
- Explicit non-goals: AI tools specifically check against these
- Acceptance criteria format: "Given/When/Then" for clear validation
- Scope lock section: Hard boundary AI respects
The Template
Looking for the official breakdown? See PRD document.
Copy this entire template and replace [PLACEHOLDERS]:
## [PROJECT NAME] — Product Requirements Document
**Version:** 1.0
**Last Updated:** [DATE]
**Author:** [NAME]
**Status:** [Draft / Review / Approved]
---
## 1. Executive Summary
### Problem Statement
[What specific problem are you solving? Who experiences it? What's the impact?]
### Solution Overview
[One paragraph describing your solution. What does the app DO?]
### Success Definition
[How will you know this is successful? Be specific: numbers, metrics, outcomes.]
---
## 2. Target Users
### Primary User
- **Who:** [Job title, role, persona name]
- **Problem they face:** [Their specific pain]
- **Goal:** [What they want to accomplish]
- **Current solution:** [What they do today without your app]
### Secondary Users (if any)
- **Who:** [Role]
- **Relationship to primary:** [How they interact]
---
## 3. Scope
### ✅ In Scope (MVP)
These features MUST be built:
- [ ] **[Feature Name]:** [One-line description]
- [Sub-requirement if needed]
- [Sub-requirement if needed]
- [ ] **[Feature Name]:** [One-line description]
- [ ] **[Feature Name]:** [One-line description]
### ❌ Out of Scope (NOT Building)
These features are EXPLICITLY excluded from this version:
- [ ] **[Feature Name]:** [Why excluded]
- [ ] **[Feature Name]:** [Why excluded]
- [ ] **[Feature Name]:** [Why excluded]
> ⚠️ **AI Tools:** If a prompt requests any feature in the "Out of Scope" list, reject it and reference this document.
### 🔮 Future Considerations (Post-MVP)
For later versions, may consider:
- [ ] [Feature idea]
- [ ] [Feature idea]
---
## 4. User Stories
### [Feature Area 1]
**US-001: [Story Title]**
As a **[user type]**, I want to **[action/goal]** so that **[outcome/benefit]**.
**Acceptance Criteria:**
- [ ] **Given** [precondition], **when** [action], **then** [expected result]
- [ ] **Given** [precondition], **when** [action], **then** [expected result]
- [ ] Edge case: [What happens when X]
**Priority:** [Must Have / Should Have / Nice to Have]
---
**US-002: [Story Title]**
As a **[user type]**, I want to **[action/goal]** so that **[outcome/benefit]**.
**Acceptance Criteria:**
- [ ] **Given** [precondition], **when** [action], **then** [expected result]
---
### [Feature Area 2]
**US-003: [Story Title]**
[Continue pattern for all user stories]
---
## 5. Functional Requirements
### [Requirement Category 1]
| ID | Requirement | Priority | Notes |
| ------ | ------------- | -------- | ------- |
| FR-001 | [Requirement] | Must | [Notes] |
| FR-002 | [Requirement] | Should | [Notes] |
### [Requirement Category 2]
| ID | Requirement | Priority | Notes |
| ------ | ------------- | -------- | ----- |
| FR-003 | [Requirement] | Must | |
---
## 6. Non-Functional Requirements
| Category | Requirement | Target |
| ----------------- | ----------------- | ------------ |
| **Performance** | API response time | < 200ms p95 |
| **Performance** | Page load time | < 2.5s LCP |
| **Scalability** | Concurrent users | [Number] |
| **Security** | Authentication | [Method] |
| **Security** | Data encryption | [Standard] |
| **Availability** | Uptime SLA | [Percentage] |
| **Accessibility** | WCAG compliance | [Level] |
---
## 7. Constraints
### Technical Constraints
- **Platform:** [Web / Mobile / Desktop]
- **Stack:** [Required technologies]
- **Integrations:** [Required external services]
### Business Constraints
- **Timeline:** [Deadline]
- **Budget:** [If applicable]
- **Compliance:** [GDPR / SOC2 / HIPAA / etc.]
### Resource Constraints
- **Team size:** [Number]
- **Available skills:** [What the team knows]
---
## 8. Success Metrics
| Metric | Target | Measurement Method |
| ---------- | -------------- | ------------------ |
| [Metric 1] | [Target value] | [How to measure] |
| [Metric 2] | [Target value] | [How to measure] |
| [Metric 3] | [Target value] | [How to measure] |
---
## 9. Dependencies
| Dependency | Type | Owner | Status |
| ------------ | ------------------- | ----- | -------- |
| [Dependency] | [Internal/External] | [Who] | [Status] |
---
## 10. Risks
| Risk | Probability | Impact | Mitigation |
| -------- | ----------- | ------- | ---------- |
| [Risk 1] | [H/M/L] | [H/M/L] | [Strategy] |
| [Risk 2] | [H/M/L] | [H/M/L] | [Strategy] |
---
## Revision History
| Version | Date | Author | Changes |
| ------- | ------ | ------ | ------------- |
| 1.0 | [Date] | [Name] | Initial draft |
---
## Appendix
### Glossary
| Term | Definition |
| ------ | ------------ |
| [Term] | [Definition] |
### References
- [Link to design docs]
- [Link to API spec]
- [Link to competitive analysis]
How to Use It
Step 1: Copy Template
Copy the template above into a file called prd.md in your /docs folder.
Step 2: Fill In Placeholders
Replace every [PLACEHOLDER] with your project specifics. Don't leave any unfilled.
Step 3: Review Non-Goals
The Out of Scope section is the most important for AI coding. Be explicit.
Step 4: Reference in Prompts
Cursor:
Using @docs/prd.md, implement user story US-001.
Check acceptance criteria before marking complete.
Cline:
Reference the PRD in /docs/prd.md.
Implement the feature in Section 3 (In Scope), item 1.
Do NOT implement anything in "Out of Scope."
Common PRD Mistakes
| Mistake | Problem | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Vague scope | "The app should be easy to use" | Specific: "Onboarding completes in < 2 minutes" |
| Missing non-goals | AI invents "helpful" features | Explicit: "NOT building: social features, chat, etc." |
| No acceptance criteria | "Done" is undefined | Use Given/When/Then format |
| Too many features | MVP becomes years of work | Cut to 3-5 core features |
| PRD not in repo | AI can't reference it | Store in /docs/prd.md |
Example: Filled PRD
Here's an abbreviated example for a "Task Manager" app:
## TaskFlow — Product Requirements Document
## 1. Executive Summary
### Problem Statement
Developers lose track of tasks across multiple projects.
Existing tools are bloated (Jira) or too simple (Notes).
### Solution Overview
TaskFlow is a minimal task manager for solo developers.
Create projects, add tasks, mark complete. That's it.
### Success Definition
100 daily active users within 3 months of launch.
---
## 3. Scope
### ✅ In Scope (MVP)
- [ ] **Projects:** Create, list, delete projects
- [ ] **Tasks:** Create, list, complete, delete tasks
- [ ] **Auth:** Email/password login
### ❌ Out of Scope (NOT Building)
- [ ] **Team features:** No sharing, collaboration, or permissions
- [ ] **Due dates:** No calendar, reminders, or scheduling
- [ ] **Labels/Tags:** No categorization beyond projects
- [ ] **Mobile app:** Web only for MVP
Related Templates
- Spec-Driven Development Template Pack — Full SDD kit
- API Spec Template (OpenAPI) — Endpoint contracts
- Database Schema Template — Table definitions
- How to Build an App Without AI Hallucinations — The full workflow
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Last updated: January 2026
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